Traffic Peeves in Kelowna

[Straight Shooter]

I guess the number one pet peeve traffic issue that I have here in Kelowna has to be the lack of right turning lanes especially along Harvey north of Gordon Drive. Cooper Rd. leading into the largest and busiest shopping mall in the souther interior has maybe room for two vehicles to turn right otherwise you sit and idle while stop at a red light. Clement and Gordon is another one that comes to mind where there is also a lack of room to turn right from Clement onto Gordon. As a courtesy I always try to stay left as much as possible to give motorist enough room to make the right hand turn with the same idea when travelling north on Gordon at Springfield.

[vinnied]

the fact that theres no by pass through town and traffic lights at every intersection, plus they're adding more.
anyway your threads probably going to be moved soon.

[Phoenix Within]

The gap. How everyone drives spaced out in such a way that when you are trying to turn, it's impossible. Not close enough to other traffic to be part of a group, and not enough space in between to try to turn between cars or groups. Spaced out just nicely enough to screw you up.

[GordonH]

My pet peeve is directed at those drivers who consider themselves either King or Queen ____ (starts with an "s" is 4 letters long and ends with a "t") of the road.
They feel as if they can do pretty well whatever they want because of either the size and/or type of vehicle they drive. Even if its against rules/laws of the road and to hell with everyone else, this also includes parking lot etiquette.

To the pervious poster about a by-pass there was one planned many years ago, unfortunately business owners + Chamber of Commerce had it scraped. Worried that drivers/potential customers would pass right on by Kelowna.

[Walking Wounded]

People who make left turns into the right lane. But I just about crapped my pants the other day when a guy stopped right in front of me to let someone into the traffic circle that we were half way around.
I just find it amazing how many people either just don't know traffic rules or just don't care.

[kgcayenne]

Egads! The lane hoppers tick me off!

[southy]

I drove in Kelowna once :)

[brounal]

3 years here now since moving from Saskatchewan. Biggest pet peeve is tailgaters. Been rear ended once so far but sure will be more times. I tend to drive speed limit or about 10km over except of course in school zones . My general reaction to tailgaters is to slow down the more they tailgate.
They can still use more left turn arrows and really the city should have a bypass but understand businesses don't want. Another bridge across lake would also be a good thing .

[my5cents]

Interesting topic. Ironically we have one poster who "as a courtesy" stays left so a vehicle wanting to turn right can disobey the law. Then we have a second who complains about vehicles doing something that is legal to do.

I guess the number one pet peeve traffic issue that I have here in Kelowna has to be the lack of right turning lanes...............................Clement and Gordon is another one that comes to mind where there is also a lack of room to turn right from Clement onto Gordon. As a courtesy I always try to stay left as much as possible to give motorist enough room to make the right hand turn with the same idea when travelling north on Gordon at Springfield.

(From the Motor Vehicle Act of BC)
Passing on right
158 (1) The driver of a vehicle must not cause or permit the vehicle to overtake and pass on the right of another vehicle, except

(a) when the vehicle overtaken is making a left turn or its driver has signalled his or her intention to make a left turn,

(b) when on a laned roadway there is one or more than one unobstructed lane on the side of the roadway on which the driver is permitted to drive, or

(c) on a one way street or a highway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement, where the roadway is free from obstructions and is of sufficient width for 2 or more lanes of moving vehicles.

People who make left turns into the right lane. But I just about crapped my pants the other day when a guy stopped right in front of me to let someone into the traffic circle that we were half way around.
I just find it amazing how many people either just don't know traffic rules or just don't care.

(From the Motor Vehicle Act of BC)
Turning at intersections
165 (1) If the driver of a vehicle intends to turn it to the right at an intersection, the driver must cause it to approach the intersection and then make the turn as close as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway.

(2) When the driver of a vehicle intends to turn it to the left at an intersection where traffic is permitted to move in both directions on each highway entering the intersection, the driver must

(a) cause the vehicle to approach the intersection in the portion of the right side of the roadway that is nearest the marked centre line, or if there is no marked centre line, then as far as practicable in the portion of the right half of the roadway that is nearest the centre line,

(b) keep the vehicle to the right of the marked centre line or centre line of the roadway, as the case may be, at the place the highway enters the intersection,

(interpretation) The left turning vehicle must be right of the centre line, which could be anywhere from the centre lane to the curb lane.

My peeve is people who don't know the law.

[WhatThe]

Biggest pet peeve is tailgaters.....I tend to drive speed limit or about 10km over...... My general reaction to tailgaters is to slow down the more they tailgate. .

I hate tailgaters too. However, I hate your types even worse.
You're slowing things down worse than they already are for the hundred people behind the tailgater, and worse yet, creating a dangerous situation for those around you by playing games trying to "teach them a lesson" or make them more angry so their judgement is that much more clouded by emotions.

Good job.

[my5cents]

..................... Biggest pet peeve is tailgaters. Been rear ended once so far but sure will be more times. I tend to drive speed limit or about 10km over except of course in school zones . My general reaction to tailgaters is to slow down the more they tailgate.............

My question is, which lane are you generally in when you are being tailgated travelling the limit or 10 over ?

[Dizzy1]

My general rule of the thumb is to pull over and let a tailgater pass ... unlike the human physiology, in traffic I'd rather have the *bleep* in front ;)

[Scadam]

3 years here now since moving from Saskatchewan. Biggest pet peeve is tailgaters. Been rear ended once so far but sure will be more times. I tend to drive speed limit or about 10km over except of course in school zones . My general reaction to tailgaters is to slow down the more they tailgate.
They can still use more left turn arrows and really the city should have a bypass but understand businesses don't want. Another bridge across lake would also be a good thing .

I do the same, slowing down when being tailgated rather than speeding up or taking any other risk upon myself. He's welcome to pass when it's safe to do so, however I'm not accepting additional risk for his benefit. I can't speak for brounal, but my reason is simple safety. If the person behind me is driving irresponsibly and I know I would be getting hit if I had to make a sudden stop, I will slow down for my own safety. If they're too foolish to calculate stopping distance at a given speed, I don't have any choice but to do it for them.

No I'm not trying "teach them a lesson". I couldn't care less if they are or ever become a courteous and intelligent driver, my concern is my own safety. It's not something I get any joy or satisfcation out of, it's simply minimizing risk.

No I'm not in the fast lane going too slow. I'm a limit+10 driver and the tailgaiting I'm talking about has only ever been an issue on single lane roads.

No, I'm not about to pull over onto the shoulder of a road so an aggressive driver can pass me. Aside from the general risks of being on the side of a road, blocking a bike lane, soft shoulder, inattentive traffic etc... we've already established the tailgater is a bad driver, challenged by the more mundane aspects of driving (safe following distance) so I'm not about to confuse him further.

No I'm not responsible for traffic behind the tailgater, if they're slowed as a result of his dangerous behaviour I can't help that.

This has only happened a few times in my life, and generally all it takes is a few more inches between our bumpers and I speed up accordingly. Even the most dim tailgater has made the connection once a bit of space opens up, and if they creep right back onto my bumper we begin slowing again. It's not that complicated.

[kgcayenne]

Interesting topic. Ironically we have one poster who "as a courtesy" stays left so a vehicle wanting to turn right can disobey the law. Then we have a second who complains about vehicles doing something that is legal to do.

People who make left turns into the right lane.

I just find it amazing how many people either just don't know traffic rules or just don't care.

I, on the other hand, find it amazing how many people have selective reading comprehension.

(From the Motor Vehicle Act of BC)
Turning at intersections
165 (1) If the driver of a vehicle intends to turn it to the right at an intersection, the driver must cause it to approach the intersection and then make the turn as close as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway.

(2) When the driver of a vehicle intends to turn it to the left at an intersection where traffic is permitted to move in both directions on each highway entering the intersection, the driver must

(a) cause the vehicle to approach the intersection in the portion of the right side of the roadway that is nearest the marked centre line, or if there is no marked centre line, then as far as practicable in the portion of the right half of the roadway that is nearest the centre line,

(b) keep the vehicle to the right of the marked centre line or centre line of the roadway, as the case may be, at the place the highway enters the intersection,

(interpretation) The left turning vehicle must be right of the centre line, which could be anywhere from the centre lane to the curb lane.

That is quite incorrect.

While I understand the vagueness of 165(2)(b) leads you to think anything to the right of the centre line is fair game, 165(2)(a) confirms that a left turn must be completed nearest the marked centre line, as stated not once, but twice.

Let’s review these phrases once again:
the portion of the right side of the roadway that is nearest the marked centre line
nearest the centre line,

Nearest the centre line is most definitely not the lane nearest the shoulder/curb on a multi-lane stretch of roadway, when there is indeed a distinct lane nearest the centre line.

Dear left turn lane skippers: Without exception, when I see lane skipping, I immediately think "this person is a dolt". They have a lack of understanding of the British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act.

Left turn lane skipping = dangerous, wrong, in violation of the BC MVA.

Edited to add: 165(2)(b) is essentially how they say, "not to the left of the centre line"

[my5cents]

I, on the other hand, find it amazing how many people have selective reading comprehension.

(From the Motor Vehicle Act of BC)
Turning at intersections
165 (1) If the driver of a vehicle intends to turn it to the right at an intersection, the driver must cause it to approach the intersection and then make the turn as close as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway.

(2) When the driver of a vehicle intends to turn it to the left at an intersection where traffic is permitted to move in both directions on each highway entering the intersection, the driver must

(a) cause the vehicle to approach the intersection in the portion of the right side of the roadway that is nearest the marked centre line, or if there is no marked centre line, then as far as practicable in the portion of the right half of the roadway that is nearest the centre line,

(b) keep the vehicle to the right of the marked centre line or centre line of the roadway, as the case may be, at the place the highway enters the intersection,

"my5cents" : (interpretation) The left turning vehicle must be right of the centre line, which could be anywhere from the centre lane to the curb lane.

That is quite incorrect.

While I understand the vagueness of 165(2)(b) leads you to think anything to the right of the centre line is fair game, 165(2)(a) confirms that a left turn must be completed nearest the marked centre line, as stated not once, but twice.

Let’s review these phrases once again:
the portion of the right side of the roadway that is nearest the marked centre line
nearest the centre line,

Nearest the centre line is most definitely not the lane nearest the shoulder/curb on a multi-lane stretch of roadway, when there is indeed a distinct lane nearest the centre line.

Regarding “select reading comprehension”, yes, that is a problem for some people.

You will note the wording prior to the highlighted portion of your post states “cause the vehicle to approach the intersection”, in other words while you are still on the street being turned FROM you must be in the left most lane.

The only portion of Sec 165 that discusses the completion of the left turn is subsection (b) and it only says RIGHT OF THE MARKED CENTRE LINE.

Sorry, I didn’t write the MVA, but that’s what it says.

Good driving practice dictates that one turn into the centre line lane and I, and most drivers do, but unfortunately that’s not, ironically what the law requires.